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(No Model.) 1

M. H. GHAPIN. WICK MATERIAL.

110.1131033. Patented Ju1y 1, 1890.

W fsf www# p-' www -MM'W/L d By am n ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENTOEEIcE.

MYRON H. CIIAPIN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO BENJAMIN B.

GROOM, OF PAN HANDLE, TEXAS, AND Il. L.

NEIV YORK.

CHAPIN, on BROOKLYN,

WICK MATERIAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 431,033, dated July1,1890. Application led January 24, 1889. Serial No. 297,431. (Nomodel.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, MYRON II. CHAPIN, of Chicago, in the county of Cookand State of Illinois, have invented a new and Improved Vick Material,of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention has for its object the production of a material made fromraw fibrous matter suitable for lamp-wicks and other useful purposes,which shall be less expensive than the ordinary woven cotton wick, .morelasting, and possess a more perfect capillary action, thereby conductingthe oil or burning-fluid more evenly to the flame.

The invention consists in a prepared wick material composed of rawfibrous matter in layers or slivers and adhesive substance,substantially as hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

The ordinary cotton wicks now in general use are manufactured fromcotton yarn by the process of weaving and are consequently moreexpensive and objectionable for operation by the usual ratchetwheel usedto raise and lower the wick, owing to loosening of the exterior bers bythe operation of the ratchet-wheel, the tendency of said fibers being tocling to and wind upon t-he teeth and shaft of the ratchet-wheel. Myimproved wick material is free from these objections,

y as its exterior surface is comparatively hard and firm, while itsinterior elasticity is such that its exterior surface or surfaces are atall times held with a gentle pressure against the teeth of theratchet-wheel, and the wick is thus raised and lowered evenly and withcertainty.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in both the figures.

Figure 1 represents a View in perspective of a lampavick made of myimproved material, and Fig. 2 a transverse section of the same upon alarger scale.

Preferably I shall use raw fibrous cotton and take any suitable quantityof raw cotton and immerse it in a solution of caustic soda, which may bein the proportion of onehalf of an ounce of the soda to three galmain inthe alkaline solution until the mass,

is thoroughly saturated, which will have the effect of removingoleaginous matter from the cotton and of preparing it foraftertreatment. The cotton is then removed from the alkaline bath andthe surplus liquid removed by pressure or other suitable means. Thecotton is then carded by the ordinary wellknown mechanism into sliversor sheets, of which a suitable number are placed one upon the other toform a combined sheet having a thickness depending upon the thickness ofthe wick or wick material required to be produced. The sheet of cardedcotton thus produced is then passed through or immersed in a thinsolution or preparation ot some suitable adhesive material, )referablyof starch and water made hot. The cotton is allowed to remain in thesame starch or other adhesive material until said cotton is completelysaturated with the starch or adhesive material, which serves to bindtogether and stiffen the fibers. The surplus starch or adhesive materialis then, by rollers or other suitable means,

pressed out of the sheet. The two exterior surfaces of the sheet arethen coated with a thickv solution of the starch or other suitableadhesive material, and then passed between pressure-rolls, by which theadhesive coating is pressed into the surfaces of the sheet, impregnatingthe same and producing in or upon said surfaces a iirm protective skinof compressed cotton fiber and compressed impregnating adhesive materialwhich is tough and even, while the interior bers are, by this rollingpressure, somewhat loosened and rendered pliable and porous or open.When the sheet thus made is dried, it is ready for use and may be cutinto wicks of the required length and width.

In the drawings, A indicates a wick made from the prepared cottonmaterial, as described, a a indicating theY inner cotton slivers, ofwhich there may be any desired number, and l) b indicate the outercompressed skin of the Wick. ,The wick material produced from cottonprepared substantially as described will pre- IOO sent a thick massofcotton in a fibrous elastic form in its interior, and having` acomparatively inelastic surface or protective skin on its exterior, thusadmirably providing alike both for a good capillary action of the wickand a tough gripping-surface on its exterior for the ratchet-wheel ormeans used to raise and lower the wick when applied to the lamp. It willbe understood that any of the ordinary cotton mechanisms may be used inpreparing my improved Wick material, such as the ordinary vats,carding-machines, starching or sizing machines, pressure-rollers, anddrying chambers or devices. As all of these devices are Well known aspecial description of them is not here necessary.

Having thus described my invention,\vhat I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. As a new article of manufacture, a wick material made of raw fibrousmaterial having its interior stiffened and held with adhesive substanceand its exterior surfaces formed with a protective skin of compressedfibers and adhesive substance, as herein shown and described.

2. A Wick material composed upon its interior of stiffened iibrousmaterial in a raw state having the oleaginous matter essentially removedtherefrom and with the exterior sur- MYRON H. CHAPIN.

Witnesses:

C. SEDGWICK, EDWARD M. CLARK.

